The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has generated ₦1.42 trillion in revenue within two months, while intercepting prohibited and restricted goods worth over ₦8.1 billion. The figures, covering September and October 2026, were presented at a joint security press briefing convened by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) on November 5. The revenue performance came alongside the processing of 99,839 Single Goods Declarations (SGDs) and 9,195 Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAARs).
A breakdown of the figures showed that Customs generated ₦697.84 billion in September, with collections rising to ₦722.91 billion in October. The Service processed 2,102 PAARs in September and 7,093 in October, while Single Goods Declarations increased from 48,832 to 51,007 within the same period. The National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, said the performance reflected the Service’s determination to strengthen revenue mobilisation and facilitate legitimate trade.
The intercepted items included illicit drugs, pharmaceutical products, prohibited merchandise, and petroleum products. The Service said it was working with relevant regulatory and security agencies to ensure that seized items were appropriately handled and disposed of in accordance with applicable laws. The NCS is strengthening its financial intelligence capacity to confront trade-based money laundering and other illicit financial activities concealed within international commerce.
Maiwada disclosed that the Service was participating in a World Customs Organisation (WCO) Mentoring Mission designed to improve its ability to identify, investigate, and address suspicious financial transactions associated with cross-border trade. The four-week engagement, scheduled to run from October 18 to November 13, 2026, was inaugurated on October 19. The initiative underscores the growing intersection between customs administration, financial intelligence, and national security.
The Service also highlighted its transition to an electronic currency declaration platform, describing the digital intervention as an important mechanism for improving transparency, monitoring financial movements, and detecting illicit flows across Nigeria’s borders. This move aims to curb the exploitation of international trade channels by criminal networks to move illicit funds.
Nigeria’s export trade also recorded increased activity at the Lilypond Export Command, where third-quarter export value reached $752.85 million in 2026, compared with $586.15 million in the corresponding period of 2025. The increase of $166.7 million represents approximately 28.4 per cent growth, indicating a higher export value recorded during the period.
In a separate environmental enforcement operation, Customs disclosed that six live pangolins were rescued in Ogun State through two separate interceptions. The rescued pangolins were subsequently transferred to the Green Fingers Wildlife Conservation Initiative for appropriate care and rehabilitation under Nigeria’s obligations to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Key points
- The Nigeria Customs Service generated ₦1.42 trillion in revenue within two months.
- The Service intercepted prohibited and restricted goods worth over ₦8.1 billion.
- The NCS is strengthening its financial intelligence capacity to confront trade-based money laundering and other illicit financial activities.
